Former PM Imran Khan Finally Gets a Breather from Terrorist Accusations (NYTimes‑style)
In a surprise move that felt like a plot twist in a thriller, the Islamabad High Court kicked the terrorism tags from the case against Pakistan’s ex‑Prime Minister Imran Khan. A verdict that might just give the Rohingya of politics a sigh of relief.
What Really Happened?
Back in August, after one of Khan’s close aides got slapped with a no bail ruling, the former leader took the stage and said, “Your officers, police. I won’t spare you!” How many of us would feel the urge to file a restraining order after hearing that? Not many, right?
Instead of pouring a full-on terrorist envelope over his name, the High Court judged that the alleged offense was “not a terrorism crime.” In other words, it’s now a plain‑old “seditious speech” case, and it will be tried in a regular court — no more fancy anti‑terrorism proceedings.
Why the Shake‑Up?
- The speech had the sound of a “threat” at first.
- The judge decided that the speaker’s words didn’t cross the terrorist threshold.
- Restated the case: if the allegations stand, they’ll be heard by a normal magistrate.
Lawyer’s Take
Faisal Chaudhry, Khan’s defense attorney, told Reuters, “We won’t be bound by terror charges in this case. We’re looking at a conventional court, not a special tribunal.”
Wrapping It Up
So, for now, Imran Khan can breathe a little easier. The charges remain, but with a less intimidating court, it’s as if the case was downgraded from “power‑house strike” to a simple “speech‑hook” march to the guillotine. Time will tell whether the matter spills back into chaos — but we’re hopeful for a standard legal showdown.
